Are you considering making a Power of Attorney?
At Gepp, we understand that this may be an overwhelming time. There are many considerations, including choosing someone you trust to carry out your wishes and conduct your affairs as you would want. Choosing the right attorney, and making your wishes clear to them, is an essential part of the Power of Attorney process. Having the right attorney in place can help you move forward in your life with confidence. In this article, we look at how to approach the discussion and how to ensure your wishes are clearly communicated when giving Power of Attorney.
Addressing your concerns about giving Power of Attorney
Creating a Power of Attorney is essential for planning for the future. There may come a time when you may need someone to make decisions for you and carry out actions on your behalf, should you lose the capacity to do so for yourself. A Power of Attorney can provide peace of mind. However, this important role requires careful consideration; what if your attorney doesn’t know what to do? What if they do not follow your instructions?
It is normal to feel concerned about making such a potentially important appointment. There are steps you can take to make the process straightforward for your attorney, providing them with clarity about their role.
Choosing the right person to be your attorney
Most people have an idea about who they wish to be their attorney, but it is still important to consider your choice carefully. Your attorney may eventually manage your finances and care arrangements on your behalf; therefore, you should trust the person you choose to undertake this role.
You can appoint more than one attorney. For example, you may have someone in mind who would be better at arranging everyday care and another who is better with financial decisions. You may also arrange for a replacement attorney to be put in place should your original choice be unable to perform the role.
Discussing your wishes
We would recommend raising the issue with your family and loved ones before you make your Power of Attorney. They can then work with you to choose the best person for the role. They may raise concerns or issues that you had not considered. Discussing the Power of Attorney with your loved ones is also an opportunity to clarify your wishes. You should discuss both financial and care matters. Care matters may be where you would like to live, what you like to eat or the clothes you like to wear.
Setting out clearly how you would like your affairs to be managed
To give you additional peace of mind, you can also set out your wishes in a document known as an advanced statement. An advanced statement allows you to set out clear, written instructions. You may wish to include any wishes, preferences, values and beliefs about your future day-to-day care and medical care.
If you would like to discuss making a Power of Attorney, please call the Gepp Solicitors Private Client team on 01245 228125 or email us on PrivateClientEnq@gepp.co.uk.
This is not legal advice; it is intended to provide information of general interest about current legal issues.
